Naples-based producer, DJ and label owner L.D.F. has spoken to When We Dip about his career trajectory, his contribution to Freerange Records’ thirtieth anniversary collection, and his ongoing creative project World Beats.
L.D.F. began DJing in 1993, citing Masters At Work, Todd Terry, Kerri Chandler, Jeff Mills and Derrick May as formative influences. He traces his musical foundations back further still, to an early obsession with Funky, Disco and Hip Hop that he describes as “the foundation of everything.” The Naples club scene also played a significant role in shaping his sensibility, with the city’s active house culture leaving a lasting mark on how he understands rhythm and club culture. He notes that while his friends went dancing, he studied.
Alongside his production work, L.D.F. runs Frole Records and co-founded Basic Frame Distribution. He draws a clear distinction between the two roles: on his own label, selections are guided purely by personal taste, while distribution requires balancing musical identity with awareness of market trends. He has released music on Skylax, Morris Audio, Housewax and La Pena, and says he has approached many of those labels himself after being a long-standing fan of their catalogues.
His contribution to the Freerange thirtieth anniversary collection is “African Dream,” a collaboration with Trinidadian Deep. The track originated from a beat L.D.F. was developing, which Trinidadian Deep — real name Damian — responded to by adding what L.D.F. describes as his own spirituality. The production blends percussion-heavy Afro house elements with deep house structure, and was arranged to unfold gradually, with elements added progressively from start to finish. L.D.F. describes the intention as making the two influences complement rather than compete with each other, with organic percussion providing warmth and movement while the deep house framework supplies hypnotic groove.
On Freerange itself, L.D.F. identifies consistency and constant research as the qualities that have kept the label respected across three decades. He describes being included in the anniversary project as a source of pride, having been a lifelong follower of the imprint.
Regarding his tools, L.D.F. works primarily in Ableton, which he finds intuitive. He acknowledges that technology has accelerated the production process but is measured about whether that acceleration is always beneficial. His current focus is a project called World Beats, in which he samples material from the past and reworks it for a contemporary context. Sampling is something he identifies as his primary creative interest right now.
Sharing a booth with artists including Ellen Allien, Jamie Jones, Derrick May, Maceo Plex and Robert Hood has informed his approach, with L.D.F. pointing to observing how those artists conduct themselves and their craft as the key takeaway. Looking ahead, he names playing more festivals as an ambition he has yet to fully pursue.
Source: When We Dip
